I. Field & Utility Summary
The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of apple tree. The apple tree is particularly useful in that it can be propagated clonally and provides distinctive fruit attributes.
II. Cultivation Summary
‘Picnic’ originated from a planned cross in 1994 in Korea. The seed parent was ‘Fuji’ and the pollen parent was ‘Sansa’.
III. Parental Comparisons
‘Picnic’ is similar to parent ‘Fuji’ in fruit color. ‘Picnic’ differs from parent ‘Fuji’ in fruit size, shape and timing of maturation. ‘Picnic’ fruit is small, conical, and matures in late September, whereas parent ‘Fuji’ fruit is medium to large, oblate, and matures in late October.
‘Picnic’ is similar to parent ‘Sansa’ in fruit size and shape. ‘Picnic’ differs from parent ‘Sansa’ in fruit color and maturation. ‘Picnic’ fruit surface is red and matures in late September, whereas ‘Sansa’ fruit surface is striped or mottled red over lighter color and matures in late August.
‘Picnic’ is different from both parents ‘Sansa’ and ‘Fuji’ because ‘Picnic’ fruit is small, conical, red, and matures in late September.
IV. Closest Non-Parental Comparator
‘Picnic’ differs from non-parent comparator ‘Gamhong’ in fruit shape, size, smoothness, and brightness. ‘Picnic’ fruit is conical, small, not smooth, and has low brightness, whereas ‘Gamhong’ fruit is oblong, large, smooth, and has medium brightness.
V. Breeding History
In 1994, pollen from ‘Sansa’ apple tree was applied to emasculated flowers of a ‘Fuji’ apple tree in Korea. Between 2001 and 2003, the seeds derived from this pollination were extracted from mature fruit derived from this cross and screened to obtain favorable seedlings. Between 2004 and 2008, the seeds were screened and regional adaptability tests were carried out before a variety was selected and named ‘Picnic’ in 2008. The selected variety was then planted by asexual propagation for five generations.
VI. Asexual Reproduction
Asexual reproduction of ‘Picnic’ has been achieved using traditional grafting techniques. Five centimeter sections of branches from a stable ‘Picnic’ plant were cut, and grafted onto pieces of rootstock. Approximately three buds were present on each 5 cm branch piece. The grafted plant was grown under standard conditions.
VII. Stability
Observations of trees from clonal propagations indicate that all trees have proven true to type and identical in all appearances to the original tree. No genetic variations were found, and therefore, its traits are stable.